A problem of mixing
by ClarkieTheCutie
Summary: Slytherins and Gryffindors have always hated each other. It's a tradition. Dumbledore has always wanted house unity. And after all, it's really just A Problem of Mixing.
1. Scars

Ginevra Weasely was far from the meek, docile little creature she had once been. She was a sixth year now. She played chaser on the Gryffindor team. Not only did she not take crap from anybody, but because she was funny, down to earth, quite sweet, and, sometimes, wickedly sarcastic, she had quite a few friends now adays. Of course, she had her faults. A raging temper and one eyebrow that arched just slightly higher than the other being just two of many. Remnants of her crush on Harry still remained, but he was happily dating Luna at this point. So, to avoid pain both on her part, and on those of her best friend and her surrogate brother, she shelved her feelings for him and treated him as she did all her other brothers.

With warm, usually incredibly exasperated, affection.

On this day, a Saturday, she was particularly exasperated. "Alright, Harry, Ron. Give it back! It's really not funny!" she whined. "Seriously. Give it back!" she was wandering the halls, searching for her brother and her surrogate brother with all the unbridled impatience of a five year old. "MR. TEDDY IS **NOT** A JOKE AND I WANT HIM **_BACK!!!!!_**" she shouted.

At that very moment, the worst possible moment, Draco Malfoy rounded the corner. "Mr. Teddy?" asked Draco cynically. Ginny went from pink to red to white and back to red.

"Sod the hell off, Malfoy!"

"Language, Weasely. Do you lick Potter's boots with that tongue?"

"I have things to do, Malfoy, so get the fuck out of my way or I'll curse you so hard your _father_ will wet his pants," hissed Ginny, quite calmly. She had a tic in her cheek, despite her calm voice.

Draco's eyebrows went into his hairline. So the littlest weasel wasn't a mouse anymore. Surprise surprise, now she was a fanged bunny rabbit. And those were quite some teeth she was baring, yes, actually baring, at him in the snarl of the century. "What's your new motto, Weaslette? I am kitten, hear me mew?"

"No. I am Weasel, feel me bite. Now get out of my way."

"I don't think I will."

"Malfoy, do you remember a lovely time in Umbridge's office in your fifth year?"

"Vividly."

"Would you like a repeat?" asked Ginny sweetly.

"No thank you, I'll pass."

"Then get the bloody hell out of my way," snapped Ginny.

"Language Weasley. Five points from Gryffindor."

"If you EVER paid attention in prefect's meetings, you'd know I'm a sixth year prefect, Malfoy. Five points to Gryffindor, for the patience of Ginny Weasley in not having cursed Draco Malfoy."

"Oh, you wound me to the core," said Malfoy, clutching his heart melodramatically. "Please! I can't take it. My evil plot is thwarted."

"Malfoy, shut up!" snapped Ginny.

"That'd just be faaar too simple." said Malfoy, dramatically beginning a fake death.

"In a minute you won't be _pretending_ to die, Malfoy."

"I know, I'll be bored." he replied tartly.

"Let me through, Malfoy. Or didn't we established two years ago that I am not above cursing your ferret-y ass?"

"Old, Weaslette. Very old."

"Shut up, ferret-boy." Ginny started to shoulder past him. He didn't let her past.

"Bloody hell Malfoy, what is your problem!?!"

"Nothing that I'm willing to share..."

"Merlin take it all.... Fine, I'll double back," she turned around and started back down the corridor through which she had come. Then she looked over her shoulder. "Hell, Malfoy, what are you doing up in the tower anyway? No lessons today, so what's your excuse?" They were about two floors and five corridors away from the Gryffindor common room, in one of the lower levels of the tower.

"Hmmm..." he didn't answer, instead following her silently.

Ginny stopped. "Malfoy, go the FUCK away!!!" screeched Ginny. She was red in the face and stamped her foot while she ranted.

"No."

Ginny took a breath, realizing she was less than attractive with a face like a cherry. "Why not?" asked the redhead as calmly as possible.

"Because, I'm bored."

"Malfoy, I seriously will curse you. I am not kidding."

"Weasley, I seriously doubt it. I'm not kidding," Malfoy mocked her, with a sneer.

She went for her wand. "Petrificus totalus!" snapped Ginny.

"Expelliarmus!" he had gotten there before her.

Her wand flew into his wand. "Malfoy, give it back."

"Nope.." It was like he was trying to get her to attack him. He swiftly put it behind his back.

"Give. It. Back."

"Why. Should. I?" said Malfoy. Ginny let out a frustrated yell and tackled him. He stood as still as he could, taking the blow, and only staggering slightly backwards. She groped behind his back for the wand. Surprisingly, she was quite strong. Well, it was only surprising if you didn't know her brothers. "Easy weaslette..." he said, not putting up much of a struggle, but keeping the wand from her hands.

It was quite unfair, as she was only five foot three or so, and he was easily six foot tall. Malfoy looked down at her with a smirk. Ginny made a face and kicked his feet out from under him. Not being stupid, she knew if she could pin him she could get the wand. He tumbled onto his back. She reached for the wand, which had skittered out of his grip when he fell.

Malfoy growled. "Foul play Weaslette." Ginny had to roll off of him to grab the wand, her arms weren't long enough to reach while sitting on him. She knew she needed to grab it and get away. The only reason she'd been able to sit on him was that he was in shock. It was all the element of surprise. She was strong, but he was bigger. He gathered himself and in a split second, had the wand back in his hand. She wrapped her hand over his. He looked up at her.

"Give me my wand!" snapped Ginny as she started prying his fingers from around the wooden shaft. He held onto it tightly. Fine, if he wanted to play dirty, she'd play dirty. With that thought, she kneed him. He winced and took it, looking at her, his teeth gritted. He had loosened his hold just enough for her to wrench the wand away and roll off of him.

Ginny stood up and backed away. "I sincerely hope you can no longer spawn demons!"

"Oh, I've spawned already?" He said, anger lacing his words.

"No, as in other than yourself." she turned and began marching at a brisk pace down the corridor, wand tucked firmly inside her robes.

"Accio wand!"

She grabbed at her robes but her wand was already flying towards Malfoy. Turning around, jaw clenched, the Slytherin could see that Ginny was practically twitching. "Alright, Malfoy, what do you want? I'm just a wee bit sick of this game."

"Mmm, depends, what do you have to offer..."

"A second knee to the groin, perhaps? Look, quit toying with me and tell me what you want, damn it, because I have better things to do then mess about with you."

As Ginny was waiting for Draco's reply, two new voices were heard.

"She'll never find it"

"She's going to be so pissed," both voices snickered. It was Harry and Ron. Draco's eyes widened. He skittered out of his sitting position, wincing. Running over, he thrust the wand into her hands, and turned tail and ran.

They came around the corner as he nearly bolted into them. Ron blinked. "What the hell was ferret-face doing here, Gin? Was he bothering you? Want us to crush his head?" asked Ron, all in one breath.

"Ron, slow down, for Merlin's sake. He was just passing." It wasn't that she didn't plan on revenge. Oh no. It was simply that Ginevra Molly Weasley executed her own revenge. Her army of brothers was for emergencies only.

It was the next Friday. Gin was standing in front of her wardrobe, deciding what to wear for the Hogsmeade weekend. All of her school clothes were new, but she had only been able to buy one outfit and a cloak with her summer money and still been able to afford her Nimbus 2000. Even if it had been slightly used at the time.

"I'm acting like there's any real choice..." muttered Ginny. It had snowed for the first time the year the day before, so it was cold. Ginny grabbed her green everyday robes and her plain, servicable black cloak. She got dressed, pulled her hair back and smeared a little makeup on. "Right, out into the world I go..."

Gin met Hermione, Ron and Harry in the common room. "Mind if I walk down to Hogsmeade with you three?"

"You haven't got a date?" asked Ron suspiciously.

"If I did, Ronald, I wouldn't be walking with you three. My dates usually prefer their genitals intact." Hermione blushed and snickered behind her hand. Harry smirked.

The four of them walked down, first to the entrance hall, then out to Hogsmeade. There they parted ways. Ron and Hermione were going to get and save a table at the three broomsticks while Harry found Luna. The four of them were double dating. Hermione had invited Ginny to join them, stamping on Ron's foot when he opened his mouth to protest.

Ginny however, politely declined, not wanting to be a fifth wheel. So she headed up to the shrieking shack, where she often went to think.

Draco and his cronies were walking down into Hogsmeade, in formation, as always. The black cloaked figures they presented always looked particularly daunting to the village folk. Ginny didn't notice. She was plotting a complicated revenge scheme.

"Oh look, there's weasel." sneered the Slytherin at Dracos side

Draco smirked, "Mmmm, all by her lonesome..."

"Can we go hex her, pleeeeeease?!" screeched Pansy on his other side.

Blaise, who was next to her on her other side, winced. "Not so shrill, woman."

"Shut up!" said Pansy, screeching again.

"Honestly, Pansy, keep your mouth shut." Draco said harshly. Blaise snickered. Pansy had a notoriously big mouth.

"So, girl Weasel is all alone, are we doing something about it, other than talking about it?" asked Millicent. She wasn't pretty, but she was intelligent and didn't screech about every little thing.

"What did you have in mind?" Draco said, looking round at her, his steely eyes flashing.

"She is your pet project, Draco, not mine. I just want to know if we're doing something or standing here getting cold."

"You can go ahead. Blaise, Pansy with me," said Draco imperiously. Millie and the others headed on to the Three Broomsticks. Blaise stayed where he was, next to Pansy. Crabbe and Goyle were still standing stupidly behind and on either side of Draco, like great overweight bats. They never did a thing unless ordered by name. "Crabbe, Goyle, with them." Draco pointed a long leather gloved finger at the retreating backs of Millie and another Slytherin. The two nodded jerkily and lumbered off after the others.

"So, oh Prince of Darkness," said Blaise, the only one who ever _could_ get away with being cheeky to Draco. "what tortures are we visiting upon the lovely, if poorly clothed, Miss Weaselette?"

"Lovely!?! With that hair?" shrieked Pansy, with a bark of a laugh. The girl was pretty enough, until she opened her mouth. At that point you closed your eyes reflexively as you tried to block out the noise, so looks were no longer relevant.

"Pansy, I really don't understand why you hate her. When you can keep your mouth shut for two minutes together, you're just as pretty as she is." said Blaise.

"Your telling me, that _she_ is prettier than me?!" she squared up to Blaise

"Only when you're talking. Now shut it. Draco, game plan please?" said Blaise smoothly.

Draco turned to them, and thought for a couple of seconds. "We can surround her, and see what we can pry out of the little Weasel. Why she's alone."

"It's because Pothead and Loony are on a double date the Weasely and the Mudblood," said Blaise. "If I heard correctly."

"Ah, well, making the red squirm and tell us herself, would be much more fun."

"I love the way you think Draco." said Pansy, simpering.

"Good merlin, Pans, why don't you just lick his boots already?" said Blaise disgustedly. The side of Draco's mouth curled up into a slight smile

They headed up the hill to where Ginny was standing, staring out at the Shrieking Shack in a way that said quite clearly she didn't see it at all. The sound of their boots crunching on the snow snapped her out of it and she turned around as they got to within ten feet of her. "Oh joy, it's Satan-in-training! And he broguht along his mini demons. What fun!" said Ginny, clapping her hands with a mock expression of joy.

" Weasel." Draco tutted, with a sigh. "All by yourself?"

"Six brothers, house the size of a closet, Malfoy m'dear. You've said it yourself. I'm enjoying the solitude." said Ginny carelessly.

He flicked his head to the sides slightly, in order to show Pansy and Blaise to move round. "Hmm, normally you'd be walking with Potter, or your excuse for a brother."

"They're on a date." said Ginny, as Blaise and Pansy circled round.

"And left you out all by yourself, so caring..."

"I wanted to come out here. The Three Broomsticks is extraordinarily noisy. Anyway, Satan, cronies, I'll be leaving now." she pushed past a fuming Pansy. Blaise was smirking. Sometimes he was fairly sure Ginevra Weasley was a Slytherin.

"Don't you push past me!" Pansy shrieked.

"Cool it, banshee girl," said Ginny snarkily. She disliked Draco, but she had to give him a certain amount of respect for his intelligence and his talent as a wizard. Pansy, however, was just a noisy, unpleasant leech. No talent, some of the worst grades in her year, _and_ she was a bitch. Three strkes, she's out. In Ginny's book, she warranted no notice, let alone respect.

Draco snarled. "Do not push past her." he said icily and authoratively. Blaise was stood by his side.

"Malfoy, darling, fuck you." said Ginny, heading down the hill at a brisk pace. Draco malfoy was not in charge of her and he was not going to act like it either.

"Where do you think you are going?" he called after her, "Impedimentia." he said, his wand pointed at her back. She stopped suddenly. She stayed, frozen. Pansy cackled. Blaise went over to her, and picked her up with ease, facing her towards Draco.

Malfoy walked up to her, a menacing look in his eye. Pansy attached herself to his hand, wrapping it round her own waist. Draco didn't look like he cared a whole load. Ginny glared at him, not needing to move to show how much she detested him.

"Ah, at least you have stopped answering me back." said Draco smugly, as he came face to face with her. Pansy cackled, leaning further into Draco.

Ginny fixed Pansy with a hateful stare. The Impedimenta curse was starting to wear off. "Slag." she hissed, muffled as she could only move her mouth slowly.

"DRACO!" She screeched.

"What?" He replied turning to her with gritted teeth.

"SHE CALLED ME A SLAG!" Her shrill voice filled Dracos ears and he had to clap his hands over his ears whilst Pansy talked,

"Will you just shut up?"

Ginny chuckled, the curse wearing off enough for her to make a rather rude gesture at Pansy. She seemed fairly unpreturbed by the Slytherins today. She was in a good mood. Blaise couldn't help it. He snickered. Pansy glared at the dark haired boy.

Draco couldn't have cared less. "Pansy, let go of me." he snarled, his eyes fixed on the red head infront of him. No Slytherin ever ignored that voice. Well, except Blaise, but he was an exception to every rule. Pansy let go. She also stepped back a pace.

Draco glared at Ginny. "You do not to mess with me." he whispered dangerously. "We've been over this before."

Ginny put on an innocent face. "Remember, Drakie, darling, I'm stupid." said Ginny, in an obvious imitation of Pansy. Blaise started laughing. It was quite a good imitation.

"Shut up." said Draco, his eyes boring into hers.

"No." said Ginny. She ran down the hill, out of spell range.

"I'm going to rip that bitch's hair out." snapped Pansy.

Draco turned to her. "Pansy..."

"Draco, she kept calling me names." whined Pansy. Blaise had not stopped laughing.

"I don't care."

Pansy huffed and sotrmed off down the hill. The back of Ginny's red head could still be seen, bobbing up and down. Until she was attacked by a blur of blonde hair. "Cat fight!" said Blaise merrily.

"Urgh..." Draco briskly walked towards the blonde who had thrown herself at the unfortunate red head.

As it turned out, Pansy was the unfortunate one. She had only got three or so good punches in when Ginny pinned her. Pansy did not have the advantage of six brothers with whom she had scrapped since she could walk. Draco raised his wand. "Impedimenta!" He threw off again, hitting Ginny Square.

Her movements slowed almost to a stop. Pansy was still pinned, however.

Draco, flipped Ginny off of Pansy, and looked down at her, now she was free. Pansy looked up at him. She had a black eye and her lip was split. As the curse wore off, Ginny sat up. "She asked for it, Malfoy. She should know better than to muggle-fist-fight with a girl who has six brothers, all bigger than her." she got all the way up, brushing herself off. "You fight like a bloody girl, Parkinson. All slaps and hair pulling. Sad, very sad." Ginny had a red mark on her cheek and her stomach hurt where Pansy had punched her, but that was pretty much it.

Draco picked up the injured Pansy and sighed. "That was not clever." he said sternly to her, annoyance in his voice.

"She insulted me." pouted Pansy.

"You do the same thing to me, you hypocritical bitch." said Ginny, shaking her head. As Pansy attached herself to Draco, he shrugged her off. Blaise smirked at Ginny, who smirked back.

"Well, as nice as it was 'conversing' with all of you simply scintillating sinners, I'll be going now." said Ginny.

Draco's attention was bought back to Ginny. "Never touch Pansy again, or you'll have me, to answer to..." He snarled, for everything, Pansy was pretty much his grilfriend.

"You think I want to touch her? I probably have three viruses now. If she leaves me be, I'll never touch her again, Malfoy. Gryffindor's honor, and all that. Bye now." said Ginny. She walked away, going into the Three Broomsticks, shaking her head. Blaise shot an appreciative look after her. Draco saw it, and sharply thwacked his friend round the head.

"Ow, damn it, Draco, what the hell was that for?"

He shook his head. "Let's go." Pansy shot Blaise a nasty look and Draco a simpering smile.

"Yes Drakie dear," said Pansy sweetly. He looked at Pansy with a really uninterested smile on his face.

Blaise looked over at the Three Broomsticks, where a face was peeking out of a window. It disappeared behind a curtain with a flash of red. He smirked as the three Slytherins headed back to the castle.

Later that evening, the students were all in the great hall. Some were leaving as they had finished eating.

Ginny headed out of the hall, pushing her loose red hair back over one shoulder, out of her way. As she started down he corridor, that lead to the Gryffindor tower, Blaise stepped out from the shadows before her.

She arched an eyebrow. "Zabini, what do you want?"

"Wanted to congratulate you on that black eye you gave Pansy. She deserved it," he said, his low voice a pleasnat and charming sound.

"Wouldn't have done it if she didn't," said Ginny.

"Draco, is well and truely pissed about it. You ruined his plaything."

"He should train his playthings not to attack someone who can kick their arse." said Ginny matter-of-factly. "Or get a plaything who takes abuse better than _that_ spoiled brat."

"He doesn't care much about Pansy. Its more of a one way thing. I think he's only in their so-called 'relationship' because shes a good lay." He shrugged.

"He's a Malfoy. They care about money and being the best." said Ginny, nostrils flaring in an annoyed manner. Her whole family disliked the Malfoys but she had a special, passioante sort of hatred for them. With good reason.

"People think that." Blaise replied. "But most of the time that's true."

"Only most of the time?" asked Ginny wryly.

Down the came Millicent. "Blaise, you do know if Draco sees you talking to her, he'll be pissed, right?" asked Millie, purely conversationally, ignoring Ginny completely.

"Yes," he simply replied, his eyes not moving from Ginny. "But he's not going to know or find out from anyone, is he..." he said to her.

"You know me Blaise. Big stupid and not much of talker," said Millie. She winked and walked away. Ginny blinked. She hadn't realized that Bulstrode was capable of coherent speech.

"Yes, most of the time. Other times, he cares about getting laid and on rare occasion, actually feels emotion."

"Zabini, was that Millicent Bulstrode or a figment of my imagination?"

"Millicent!"

"But... she was... Talking. And she winked.... I think I might be in shock."

"She is a person after all." He said raising an eyebrow at her.

"So are Crabbe and Goyle. Sort of."

"Good point." He smiled slightly

"Zabini, was there a point to intercepting me in the hall?"

" Well, I wanted to say I appreciated the fact you put Pansy in her place," said Blaise.

"Funny thing to appreciate, considering she's a fellow Slytherin. Anyway, Zabini, I can hear my brother coming. So, if you like your 'nads where they are, I'd leave. Fast." And indeed Ron was coming out of the great hall, towards them. Blaise nodded, and left in a flurry of black robes.

Ron glared as Blaise passed him. "Gin, what was he doing here?"

"Oh, just being a Slytherin."

Ron glared back after him. "He does anything to you, I swear I'll kill him..."

Gin rolled her eyes. "Good luck in Azkaban, Ronniekins."

"Hush you..." He scorned fondly, before moving on, and along the corridor. Ginny followed him down the hall. They both silently made there way to the common room. "See ya later, Gin." Ron said before he clamboured up the boys stair case.

"Night!" Ginny called after him. Then she left again. She hadn't wanted Ron to follow her. She wanted a bath. So, she headed to the prefect's bathroom. The castle wasn't overly busy that evening, only a few people saw her headed there.

When she got there she murrmured the password. Stepping inside she smiled. She looked around. There was the huge shower hidden over in a corner, with it's six shower heads. "I think I'll take a shower instead..." she murmured quietly. She shucked off her clothes and stepped into the shwoer, turning on the hot water and pulling the huge glass door to the shower closed. She took her showers at odd hours to be able to take loooong, hot showers, as much as she wanted.

"We've just been introduced, I do not know you well, but when the music started soemthing drew me to your side. So many men and girls, are in each other's arm, it made me think, we might be, similarly occupied. Shall we dance? Bum bum bum. On a bright cloud of music shall we fly? bum bum bum...." Ginny warbled the song to herself happily as she shampooed her hair. She knew the song because she had spent a week during the summer with Hermione, during which they had barely slept and had watched many old musicals, which hermione loved. She ahd gotten Ginny addicted and they were trying to work out a way they could get a muggle TV to work on Hogwarts grounds.

Suddenly the door opened, and Pansy slid into the room.

"Shall we then say goodnight and mean goodbye? Bum bum bum.... Or perchance, bum bum bum, when the last little star has left the sky, bum bum bum, shall we still be together with our arms around each other and shall you be my new, romance?" Ginny asked the thin air, in her own vaguely pleasant, slightly off-key warble.

"I bloody hope not!" Came the all to familiar shrill screechy voice of the Slytherin girl.

Ginny practically fell out of the shower, grabbing a towel. "Goddamn it, Pansy! it's not like the normal bathrooms. You have to KNOCK! And... You're not even a prefect! Get... Get out!" her eyes narrowed. "How'd you even get the password?! What're you meeting Malfoy here for a mid-evening shag?"

Pansy's eyes narrowed, annoyed, "Shut up."

"Ten points from Slytherin for breaking into the prefect's bathroom and being stupid enough to get caught. Get out." snapped ginny, turning around. The towel slipped down a bit and Pansy saw a huge white scar between her shoulder blades.

"I didn't break in, and what, pray tell, is that hideous scar down your back?

"You came in, and you're not a prefect. And none of your fucking business." she pulled the towel further up, till just the tip of the scar peeked out above the towel.

"I have been given permisison to come in here." Draco had given her the password, and Ginny had been very right about why she was there. "I don't give a damn. You didn't knock. And it really doesn't make a difference if you have permission, you're not allowed in here." Most people would have just left. But Ginny wasn't most people. Besides, she hated haivng her showers interrupted. And ahving her back seen. And Pansy had done both.

"Whatever Weasley." She said, a glare directed at her. "So what's the scar about?"

"Unless you want that other eye purple too, Parkinson, you'll lay off. Malfoy's coming here, right?" asked Ginny as she reached into the shower and turned the shower off. "You do realize, Parkinson, that when he walks in here, I'll have sufficent knowledge to take you both to Dumbledore for unwholesome activity?" Ginny grabbed a robe that was hanging and pulled it on, letting the towel drop from under it once the robe was closed. "Lucky for you I really don't care. But don't you interrupt my showers any more Parkinson. I don't like it." Pansy just stared at her indignantly. The blonde now had a healthy fear of Ginny. Ginny grabbed the towel and shook her hair down, wrapping it up, turban style.

Draco walked (well, prowled) in. Ginny arched an eyebrow at him. "Have fun, Malfoy. Oh, and, pick a new place or a new time. Otherwise I might have to mess your girlfriend's face up more." she left, the door slamming behind her.

Malfoy raised an eyebrow at her as she left. He shrugged.

"Draco, she was SINGING to herself. And she has a huge scar down her back." hissed Pansy maliciously, smirking. She did not like Ginny Weasley at all.

"Oh no, scandle, Weaslette was singing to herself." He said monotonously.

"She also has the ugliest scar I have ever seen." said Pansy, looking hurt.

"A scar?" asked Draco, being a little more interested, just to stop that goddamned annoying look she kept smearing across her face.

Pansy nodded, "A huge, ugly white scar between her shoulderbales. She wouldn't tell where she'd gotten it from."

Draco twined his arms around her. "Hmmm, will probably be able to get it out of her someway.." Pansy smirked. Draco raised an eyebrow at her. Normally by now she'd have thrown herself at him.

She leaned up and kissed him. "Mmmmmm... Draco..."

"Yess?" He hissed, kissing her back.

"I love you..." she whispered without thinking, then pulled back, eyes wide. Ooooops.

Draco's brow furrowed. "What?"

"Nothing." she squeaked.

"Repeat yourself.." said Draco, letting go of her.

"Ummm... Take me?"

Draco was sure she hadn't said that. "Don't lie..." He stepped back from her, anger etched into his face.

"Nothing Draco." said Pansy.

"You said... 'I love you', didn't you..."

"Yes."

Draco looked at her coldly. "Why?"

"Just... did...." Draco left the room, completely freaked by the fact she had done that.

Pansy sighed and sat down on the floor to cry.

The next day was Saturday. Ginny threw on her too-small jeans and her father's old jumper. The one she had taken the day before she went off to Hogwarts for the first time, because she had never been away from her family before. She shoved her hair carelessly into a messy bun, held up by a quill and headed downstairs. As she walked into the great hall she shoved her sleeves up above her elbows and folded the ends under. They wouldn't have stayed up otherwise. All the elastic was long gone from the wrists.

As she looked up to see the usual gangs and groups of people dotted around the hall, something she saw was slightly odd. Draco and Pansy were sitting separately, yes, separately. Ginny cocked an eyebrow and blinked. Interesting.

Pansy was being quietly talked to by some of her friends. She looked far from happy. Draco was scowling at the table. The only person that could get near him, it seemed, was Blaise.

Ginny shrugged and walked over to sit down at her usual place, beside Hermione.

Blaise was boredly leaning on the table, watching the group of girls fuss over Pansy. Ginny ate quickly, getting up and heading out of the room. She had prefect duties. Besides which, today she was finding the way Harry stared so starry-eyed at Luna more annoying than usual. The way he would keep missing his mouth with his fork because he couldn't stop staring at the blonde Ravenclaw. It made surpression close to impossible, and she needed to get away.

Blaise watched her leave, and got up. Malfoy was to busy off in a mood with Pansy and himself to care or even notice for that matter.

Ginny marched down the hall towards the library. She'd 'patrol' there. Blaise silently follwed her along.

"Blind as bat, glasses obviously don't work, all she had to do- I spent years, can't understand," muttered Ginny raggedly under her breath. She sighed and stopped. "This is incredibly stupid," she told herself firmly. Blaise tapped her on the shoulder lightly, and stopped. Slytherins had a strage way of moving very very quietly.

Jumping a foot into the air, Ginny turned, clutching her chest. "Merlin's bleeding testicles, Zabini, don't sneak up like that!"

"Sorry. And, It's Blaise." He said, linking his hands loosely behind his back.

Ginevra arched an eyebrow at him. "Does your leader in pain and suffering know that we're on first name terms, Blaise?"

"No, he doesn't and if he finds out, he'll probably castrate me with a pair of blunt scissors." Ginny giggled helplessly, imagining a naked Blaise being chased around by Draco, who was waving a pair of rusty old scissors around in the air and yelling 'revenge for this betrayal will be had!'. Blaise grinned as she did, one of his best Debonair smiles.

"Are you trying to charm me, Mister Zabini?" asked Ginny, cocking her head to one side.

"Would you object?" said Blaise, leaning on the wall, his hands casually in his pockets, black hair swept back slightly.

"Everyone else would."

"Their problem, not ours," he shrugged, watching her face as she spoke.

"Then no, I don't. But good luck, I don't charm easy."

"Ah, I've heard."

"I'll just bet you have. Tsk tsk, imagine, a Slytherin listening to gossip about a Gryffindor. Just where does the shock end?"

Blaise curled the side of his mouth into an amused smile. "Mmm, a shock indeed..."

"I have to go. They're starting to come out of the great hall. Bye, and good luck with the seduction of that gorgeous redhead." she grinned, turned and left.

"I don't need it," he grinned back. "Bye!" he called. He winked just before she turned away. If there was one thingBlaise liked, he did like a challenge.

Ginny wandered into the library. Thinking about Blaise turned her thoughts to Slytherin in general and then to pansy parkinson in particular. She did not want akward questions about her scar. No one knew about it but the healers at St. Mungos. Not her brothers, or her parents. No body. Except for Pansy Parkinson. And now, she was willing to bet, Draco Malfoy.

A few students meandered in with scrolls of parchement under their arms and bookbags holding there homeowrk in, slung over one shoulder. They ignored her pretty much and set about to work. Ginny shook her head. She had done her homework all on Friday night when she got back from Hogsmeade. She never had understood the idea behind procrastination.

The door to the library creaked open once again, and Pansy appeared. Ginny rolled her eyes, continuing to survey the library for rule breaking.

Pansy sideled up to her, and with a smirk said. "Weasly, scarring, oooops, I mean scaring the poor first years again?"

"Yep. Can't you tell? I'm imitating the Giant squid." said Ginny, referring to her huge green sweater and messy hair, the latter of which resembled tentacles.

Pansy raised an eyebrow at her. "Freak." she said shrilly.

"Really, Parkinson, one would think you could come up with better insults," said Ginny sadly, shaking her head. "After all you are screwing, oooops, I mean seeing, the Slytherin wit." Pansy placed a hand on her hip and glared.

"Parkinson, if you have soemthing to say, say it, if you don't, beat it."

"Where'd the scar come from?" Ginny ignored her.

"Weasel, where'd you get it?"

"Ten points from Slytherin for bothering an on-duty prefect, Parkinson. Goodnight, find someone else to terrorize." With that, Ginny exited the library.

Pansy was going to get it out of her somehow. She just had to form a plan.


	2. Basking in the glow

The next day, a Sunday, Ginny went downstairs early. She grabbed a piece of dry toast for breakfast, gulping down a glass of water and ducking out of the Great Hall. She went out onto the ground. Grinning at how beautiful it was out she pulled her cloak tighter around herself.

It was a freezing day. A cold, clear, beautiful day. Everything was covered in a thin layer of snow. The branches of the trees were encased in ice, twinkling in the cold, pale golden light of the sun. Ginny looked around, able to see her breath with every rise and fall of her chest. She adored winter. It was so quiet. So glitteringly gorgeous. Every snowflake or icy patch made her smile.

Careful not to slip, she made her way down the hill as danitily as she could, wearing two jumpers, jeans under her school slacks, wrapped in her cloak. She could, of course, have used a warming charm and been much less bulky. But that felt like cheating. Besides, warming charms had never been her best spell and she was almost as likely to set something on fire as she was to keep herself warm. Although she supposed either one would do the trick, at least theoretically.

Loosing her balance she fell on her bottom and slid all the way down the hill, landing on the frozen surface of the lake with an audible 'thump'. She laughed, breaking the white, expansive silence.

Blaise Zabini, master of being in the right place at the wrong time, saw the red head quite unceremoniously fall and slide along the frozen ground on her bottom. Ginny tried to get up and fell again, harder this time. She started laughing again, so hard she couldn't even sit up, let alone stand. Blaise made his way almost sliently to where she was repeatedly falling over. She fell again, ending up at his feet, looking up at him, still shaking with laughter.

Blaise extended a black clad hand and arm with a slight grin on his face. She took it and got up, nearly slipping again. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and braced her feet to stop her falling. "Oh!"

He thread his arms around her waist. "Careful..." he said, steadying her. She was trying not laugh, knowing that if she did, she'd fall. Again.

He raised an eyebrow at her, "Might want to watch that ice there..."

"And you might want to watch where your hands are," she suggested. His hands had slipped to right underneath her breasts. "Thank you, by the way." She stepped back and way, out of the circle of his arms, detaching herself from him and brushing her bottom free of snow.

Blaise watched. "That's all right." He bowed slightly. She smiled and started making her way back up the hill. No reason to make seducing her easy, now, was there?

He followed her up, and caught up with her quickly, "Weren't you headed out?"

"No, I was just enjoying the morning quiet. No one gets up early on Sundays, so I can get some solitude. And it's so deliciously cold out."

"Why be alone?" asked Blaised, the crisp ground crunching under their feet.

"If you'd grown up with six brothers, you'd like being alone too." said Ginny, rolling her eyes. "A room the size of a broom closet offers only so much privacy."

"Ah, I see what you mean. I've no brothers and sisters." replied Blaise. "But, I do have rather prying parents. Probably not the same thing..."

"Ah yes. I also have prying parents."

"Always fun." He folded his arms across his chest as a chill wind whipped past them.

"Indeed," said Ginny, shivering. Her cloak was nice enough, but it really wasn't made for winter.

Blaise peeled his coat off, and put it round her shoulders. "Here," he said. "Take this. I was warm without it already."

She couldn't help but snuggle into it. It was warm from him and the collar was fur lined. But then she shrugged it off. "Oh no, that's alright. I'm not cold."

"You looked it..." said Blaise, taking it back from her again, slightly confusedly. He swung around his shoulders again, and fed his arms into the sleeves. Ginny knew she was being stupid. But she never could take anything that smacked of charity. "If you don't want my coat, at least let me try and keep you warm?"

She arched an eyebrow at him. "And how, Mister Zabini, do you plan to do that?"

"'Tis called a hug, Miss Weasley," he said honorably.

"Only because you asked so nicely." He smiled, and took her into his arms, wrapping his coat around her, pulling her against him. He had done it just in time, because another bone chilling wind rushed passed them. She shuddered and snuggled her cheek into his chest without thinking. He was warm.

They both stood there for a few minutes. "Warm?" he asked.

"Yes, thank you," said Ginny, blsuhing a little.

"I don't know why you just didn't take my coat," he said, his arms gently resting about her shoulders and back.

"I have a cloak," said Ginny, slightly irritably.

"And you were freezing," replied Blaise.

"I was not..." she grumbled. He raised an eyebrow questioningly at her.

"I was fine."

"If you say so, Ginevra."

"Everybody assumes it's Virginia."

"Mmm. I've seen the lists of names, being a prefect and all."

"Ah yes, that makes sense."

"Heading back into the castle for breakfast at any point?" he asked, snow beginning to fall lightly around them.

"I had toast and water on my way out."

"Mmm, wholesome..."

"I wasn't hungry. Besides, that's all they have early. Anyway, was there a reason you came out here this early?"

"Draco thought he'd wake up to throw a hissy fit at me. And I couldn't get to sleep again."

"What was he fitting about?"

"Pansy... Again."

"What'd she do? Or was it about what I did to her?"

"She said I love you to him.. Merlin, he's a real drama queen."

"This is a bad thing? Well, of course it is, it's Parkinson..."

"To him it is... apparently." He shrugged. "Pansy has been pretty distraught every time she sees him... It's so incredibly annoying."

"When is she not?"

"When Draco's off shagging her." He nodded, a sparkle in his eye caught hers for a second.

"God, I wish the would just lock themselves in a broom closet together, permanently. Sorry, I know you're friends with Malfoy, but.... Ugh."

"Go ahead. He's not my most favourite person at the moment, truth be told..."

"I thought you two were best mates."

"We are, just, he's annoying me to the point where I want to hurt him. A lot."

"Can I help?"

Blaise raised an eyebrow. "Probably not, Unless you are willing to indulge Draco's lack of sex."

"Yuck! How exactly is having someone sleep with him hurting him?"

"Doesn't hurt him. It shuts him up."

"If the rumors are anything to go by, there's no shortage of willing participants in a make-Draco-shut-up-by-shagging-him project."

"There's no shortage, he's just incredibly picky." Blaise laughed slightly to himself.

"You call fucking Parkinson being picky?" asked Ginny, her eyebrows disappearing into her hairline. She used profanties smoothly, with no hint of embarassment. Well, her brothers did curse like sailors. Unless they were around their mum.

"Each to their own," said Blaise, flicking his head to get the snow out of his hair.

"But if your own is PARKINSON...."

"It's Draco. What else needs to be said?"

"I suppose. Let's leave it at I think you have much better taste."

"Thanks." He smiled, a lashing of debonair and charm smeared across his face.

"You're awfully slow at this whole seduction thing." said Ginny teasingly, pulling back from him.

"I'm pacing myself."

"Ahhh but of course." said Ginny, starting up the hill at brisk pace, mostly because she loved messing with people. All in good fun.

"_Accio Ginevra_!" he said, with a slight laugh. With a squeak Ginevra flew through the air, thudding into Blaise's chest backward. "Just, one more thing..." He spun her round, and kissed her firmly, then pulled away before she had time to react.

"Eep."

Blaise raised an eyebrow. "See you later." his low voice growled smoothly, before he turned to walk back up to the castle.

"Oh no you don't Zabini." she went after him and got infront of him. She leaned up and kissed him, for real this time. He kissed her back, a slight smile on his face.

Ginny pulled back. "NOW I will see you later." With a smirk, she walked up to the front doors and went in.

Blaise watched her, slowly following, hands in pockets.

Ginny was very angry. She was the only Gryffindor staying over Christmas break. The twins were taking Ron, Hermione and Harry on a christmas break holiday. To, they said, experience the 'Real world' a little early. But they wouldn't let her go! They ahd told her she was too young, that she would be bored (Bored? In ITALY!?!). They had as good as told her she'd be in the way when they wanted to go out. Of course, because while they could consciousless-ly get Hermione Harry and Ron piss-ass drunk, god forbid they let their baby sister have a little fun. It really didn't matter of course, because even if her brothers had said yes, her parents would have said no. Or perhaps, in her mother's case 'Oh **_MERLIN_** no!'.

But THEY got to go on holiday, oh _yes_! Her parents were going to Egypt to visit Bill, Fleur and their first grandchild, the two month old Gabriel Authur Weasley. She had asked to go along with them and meet her first ever nephew but they didn't have enough money to take her along. There was never enough money for anything _she_ wanted to do. So she was stuck at Hogwarts.

And positively livid about it, too. Everyone seemed to be going on a real holiday. What with the war holidays were rare but everyone was celebrating because the Light side had won a major battle not a week ago. Ron, Hermione and Harry had all been _mysteriously_ missing from Hogwarts that week. Mysteriously indeed.

Needless to say, having been left out of the battle as well had not helped Ginny's mood in the slightest. She was sitting in Hermione's room while the bushy haired girl packed. Ginny had a bundle of robes in her lap. Her arms were crossed over her chest, and she was refusing to speak. Hermione was only a yeaar older than her. Sure, she was smarter than Ginny, at least book-wise, but the redhead wasn't stupid. She got high marks. And she had common sense. But Hermione's parents were letting her go on this trip. As good as unsupervised. _With her boyfriend!!! _Ginny snorted. It was not fair. Not. Fair.

"Oh Ginny, I know you want to go, but-"

"Just shut up Hermione," snapped Ginny. She was so SICK of it all. She got up, throwing the robes in her lap at a shocked Hermione. "Have fun on your stupid fucking trip!" With that, Ginny left the head girl's chambers, stamping her way back to her own dorm room, where her yearmates were all packing. She threw herself on her bed,ignoring their exchanged looks and their mutters of 'drama queen'. Drawing the curtains closed with a heavy 'thwack' she cast a silencing charm and then _screamed_. She did that for a good minute and a half before turning over and burying her face in her pillow. It just wasn't _fair_.

Everybody had something exciting to do but her. Luna was going to Cambodia (where ever that was. Ginny had absolutely no idea), with her father, in search of new and exciting stories for The Quibbler. Colin and Dennis Creevey were going to France to spend the holidays with their mother's parents. Parvati and Padma Patil were going, along with Lavender Brown, on a trip to New York city, in the STATES!

She had told her brothers that by leaving her there, they were condemning her to spend Christmas with a bunch of 'bloody Slytherins'. Obviously, though some of them were going home, few were on holiday. They weren't exactly celebrating, most of them. Fred and George had made sympathetic noises, handed her a package of assorted tools for mischeif and turned back to what they were doing, which was planning the trip.

They had merely laughed and ruffled her hair when she had gone around slamming things and calling them 'patronizing, idiotic weasels'. They had regretted it, however, when they told her she sounded like Draco Malfoy, ferret extraordinaire. That had been the last straw and with an agonized shriek, she had soundly cursed the both of them three ways from Sunday.

Ginny came back to the present quite suddenly when she heard the 'thump' of the last of her dorm mates trunks closing and the sharp metallic 'click' of the lock being pushed shut. She undid the silencing spell and stuck her head out the curtains. "Bye." Promptly, the pulled her head back inside the curtains and went back to moping till she was certain every last one of the girls was out of the castle and halfway to the platform. She had the tower all to herself.

Ginny loved solitude. So why wasn't she happier about being left by her lonesome in Gryffindor tower?

After sitting in the tower, pretending to be enjoying her forced solitude (for an entire two minutes), Ginny got up. Pulling a tiny, thread bare blue sweater over her school shirt, she threw on a cloak and headed out and down.

Once in the entrance hall she looked around, deciding where to go. Library? No... Too quiet. Not the great hall. No one would be there. Ahh yes. The Quidditch pitch! "Accio Ginny's broom!" shouted the girl. A minute later, broom in hand, she was walking down the icy hill and along the path to the quidditch pitch.

A black form, with a mostly white head was storming furiously up towards the castle. As it got nearer and nearer, the shape of Draco Malfoy came into sight. His face was red with anger and he was cursing very very loudly.

Ginny made a face. What worse thing could have happened when she wanted to fly? Other than a sudden tornado, not much. With a sigh, she shrugged and kicked off the ground, soaring into the air. Instantly her face morphed into a smile. There was absolutey nothing better than flying. The only thing that even came close was kissing. She steered her broom expertly until she was almost over the angry Malfoy's head.

"That fucking Blaise!" he roared, turning to look back at the quidditch pitch. "HE FUCKING MADE ME MISS THE TRAIN!" As he turned back round, his foot caught in his own robes and he tumbled face first into the snow that surrounded him. Ginny couldn't help it. She burst out laughing. She laughed so hard she nearly fell off her broom. For safety, she landed. When she came down she was laying on the broom, shaking with hysterical laughter. Draco Malfoy, the ever cool and graceful, had just messed up. Badly. It was a golden moment and she would never forget it.

He scrambled up, and turned to face her. "Stop. Laughing. At. ME!" He said, only three inches from her face as he bellowed the last word. His attempt at intimidation was however a failure, because his face, hair, eyebrows, everything, was caked in snow. She snorted in his face and once again collapsed in laughter, rolling off the broom onto her back, shaking. He brought his hands angrily to his face, and brushed the snow away from his skin. "I'm warning you Weasley!!" he said, trying to get his foot unstuck from a drift of snow, before loosing his balance again, and falling onto his back with a thud. Ginny kept giggling.

"N-not you-your day, i-is it, Malfoy?" she gasped out.

He got up in rage, and thundered back to the castle. "SCREW YOU FUCKING ALL!" He disappeared into the castle again.

With a snorting last laugh, Ginny finally managed to get up, still shaking slightly from the giggles. She mounted her broom and kicked back off into the air. The snow melting into her back didn't seem to bother her as she soared through the wind, so inthralled by the pure, ice blue sky that she forgot to be cold. She couldn't have told you how long she stayed out there, corkscrewing, wronski feinting, diving and rising, just generally flying like a complete maniac.

When she finally decided to go inside, it was starting to get dark. She had spent a good five hours flying, and not even realized. "Good Merlin, I'm as obsessed as Harry is," said Ginny. For some reason, the thought of Harry didn't make her heart clench quite as hard as usual. Heading inside, she brushed her cloak off outside the door. Judging from the warm light coming from inside the Great Hall, she guess that dinner had been served. She meandered in, Banishing her broom up into her dorm room.

There were shockingly few students, even from Slytherin. Blaise, Draco, Pansy, and three other Slytherins from various years had stayed. Two third years and one seventh year from Hufflepuff. A Ravenclaw fifth year and herself. Everyone else had gone away from the holiday. Even most of the teachers were gone. Dumbledore had stayed, as had McGonagall, and Snape. That was it for the holiday stayers.

Because there were almost no people, the house tables were gone. Instead there was one, large table in the center of the room, rather like the one they had at home. There was one empty seat left at the table. It was directly between Dumbledore and Blaise Zabini, just across from Professor Snape and Draco Malfoy.

"Sorry I'm late," said Ginyn cheerfully. She slipped into the available seat while Dumbledore twinkled at her and Blaise smirked.

"Quite alright, Miss Weasley, we hadn't started yet. Right now, everyone _dig in_!" The last two words were said with especial enthusiasum. Everyone took the old man's kindly given adivce and served themselves, then began to eat. Ginny was having a hard time not choking. Every time she looked up, she saw Draco. And every time she saw Draco, she saw Draco's expression. And every time she saw Draco's expression, (she was positively defying death each time she looked at him), she always wanted to laugh. But as laughing while eating is a sure way to inhale food, she contained herself.

Blaise had been down at the quidditch pitch, hidden away, when Draco had made a fool of himself. He knew exactly why Ginny was stopping herself from laughing. Draco was eating moodily. Pans still being there, and being seated next to him had out him into a foul mood. Ginny had put down her fork at was shaking with silent laughter while Snape stared blankly at her, one eyebrow raised.

Ginny managed to get through dinner without choking to death, and was the first to excuse herself and leave the table. Draco had just stopped eating, and Blaise was in silent hysterics as she left. Looking at Snape and draco all through dinner and feeling Ginny shake the entire time, had been a bit much for him.

Ginny was trying to decide what to do with herself. It was only seven o'clock, curfew wasn't for hours. But she had nothing to do. She went over her options. She could play chess with herself. Or a game of exploding snap? By herself. Or read. Or walk around aimlessly. Ahh, the joy.

Draco a few minutes later, walked out of the great hall, door closing hard behind him. He wa;lked purposefully back to the Slytherin common room. He didn't look happy in the slightest. Blaise had finally lost it when Draco accused him of 'laughing along with that damned Weaslette" and told him to go screw himself. Ginny turned, looking over her shoulder at the blonde boy.

"He calls himself by best friend. HA!" Draco stopped, kicking an old wooden door before making his way along the corridor. Ginny shook her head, shrugging. It was difficult to have sympathy for Draco Malfoy. So, rather than waste her time, she headed towards the library.

Blaise came stumbling out of the great hall with Pansy who just walked passed the laughing mess that was Zabini.

Ginny turned back over her shoulder, seeing Blaise. "Stop it or I'll start up again," she said, walking over to him, she held out a hand and helped him up.

Blaise smiled and got up. "My god that was hilarious," he said, calming himself down.

"Yeeeeaaaaaah... He's pissed at you. Royally pissed. I think he may have stubbed one of his precious toes as well. He really does need to get layed. Desperately."

"Yup, and unfortunately, Pansy won't go near him now. She's too afraid of him."

"Well, pardon me if I don't volunteer."

"Mmm, you're excused," said Blaise, laying the charm on thickly again. He winked at her, before discreetly sliding an arm around her shoulders.

She arched an eyebrow but didn't pull away. "If you plan on carrying on with the seduction, here might not be the best place."

"I was just about to suggest we go some place a little more, private..."

"Lead on, oh seducer... Why isn't there a male word for that? We're seductresses, what the heck are you people?"

"Now that'd be telling." He took her hand, and lead her to an empty classroom. With that he lit all the candles with a sophisticated flick of his wand.

She smirked. "You've done this before. I can tell." she wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. Blaise grinned, and with a few swift movements he had her in his arms, tilted back slightly. He then leant down, and planted a firm and posotively melty kiss on her lips.

Now Ginny had kissed her fair share of boys. He was no blushing maiden or anything of that sort. But she was usually quite cynical about the whole thing. That little dip was the sort of thing that normally would have had her laughing, not melting. She enjoyed that kind of thing, of course, but it didn't mean much. This though, was something entirely different. It was... Explosive. That was the right word. Blaise held the kiss for a few more seconds, before pulling away, and straighteneing up again. As they did, Ginny ended right up against him, his arms about her waist.

"You should give lessons." Ginny was incapable of keeping a moment a live for any length of time.

"Mmm, no one can learn this." Blaise raised an eyebrow and a few of the candle blinked out.

"Oh, so you're just a natural I suppose?"

"A natural with practice..." He whispered in her ear, before kissing her neck. She shivered and tilted her head back. He continued caressing her skin.

"Malfoy's gonna... Mmmm... Bust an artery when he finds out."

"His problem..." He said, pulling away.

"Yeah..." Blaise grinned at her.

"What?"

"What d'ya think?"

"About what exactly, Mr Suave?"

He kissed her once again, "That."

"I think I wouldn't mind if we did that again some time."

Blaise raised an eyebrow. "Good."

"Why, Mr. Zabini, are you planning on making this a regular occurance?"

"I might be."

Ginny smiled. "I should go."

"Where to?" asked Blaise. He had secretly hickied her neck quite heavily, and was more than willing to put bruises on her bruises.

"The tower."

"But, there aren't any more Gryffindors here..."

"I know..." said Ginny.

"So why leave?" Ginny shifted. If truth be told, the reality was, despite how charming and polite Blaise was, he was a Slytherin. Ginny was a Weasley and a Gryffindor and she was intrinsically wary of Slytherins. Ginny didn't know what to tell him. She was not used to not knowing what to say. Blaise released her from his grip, and linked his hands behind his own back.

"If you want to go, go, I'm not stopping you." He bowed slightly to her. Yeah, he was a Slytherin, but he was also a gentleman, most of the time.

"Well... Do you want to go for a walk?" Ginny knew perfectly well that it was freezing and icy outside. Not to mention dark.

"Are you sure you want to go out at this time?"

"I like it cold."

"Then I will come with you."

Five minutes later when they were outside, Ginny wrapped tightly in her thin cloak over her huge jumper, yards from the castle, she realized she really had not thought this through. Now instead of being alone in a warm, lit room with a Slytherin, she was outside, alone, with a Slytherin far away from everyone. And it was freezing. Very smart Ginny. Very, very smart.

Blaise was standing still, the cold not bothering him in the slightest. "Do you want my cloak for a while?"

"Alright," said Ginny reluctantly. Blaise took off his warm thick cloak, and draped about her shoulders. She pulled it around her. It was a good foot too long and wrapped around her more like a blanket than a cloak. All that could be seen of her was her pale face and her vividly red hair. He smiled slightly at her. She smiled back. "I feel like a pig in a blanket."

"A pig? That'd be the last thing I thought you looked like..." said Blaise, smiling.

"And what do I look like? Other than a leopard, due to the sundry and colorful bruises all over my neck."

"Lioness, would be the first thing that came into my head."

"A lioness?" Ginny blinked.

"Yes, lioness."

"Thank you?"

"You're welcome?" Ginny looked up at the sky. It was perfectly clear and every star showed. Blaise folded his arms over his chest and flicked his hair out of his face.

"It's so beautiful out."

"First night you can see the stars properly in a long time." Blaise had taken astronomy for some reason. Not a whole load of people knew he had. She nodded, looking over at him and smiling. He smiled back. He smiled back, and watched her as she looked about them in the sky. Ginny and Blaise started back up towards the castle, after Blaise spent a good ten minutes convincing Ginny that they shouldn't stay out in the freezing cold too long. As they got to the steps of the great hall, Blaise looked around one last time before turning to Ginny. She looked up at him expectantly

Blaise thread an arm around her, and pulled her into another kiss. "So," he said, after pulling away. He threaded his other arm around her, and looked into her eyes. She looked up at him. "Would you..." He kissed her neck gently, "go out with me?"

She looked up with him. "You mean... on a date?" she asked, being obtuse. He raised an eyebrow. "Oh... But... I... We...." Ginny Weasley was not a stutterer. But she was certainly stuttering now. He leant forward and kissed her, to stop her stuttering. She kissed him back. A figure slipped away from the door, making a triumphant face. Those two were going to get it.

After a minute Ginny pulled back. "I don't know you."

"You will..."

"Shouldn't I do that before I commit?" asked Ginny, arching an eyebrow. "I'm pretty sure there's a general order..." Slight sarcasam laced the last words.

"When has anyone gone in an order?"

"Why do you want to go out with me?"

"Because your beautiful, smart, funny.." He kissed her neck again.

"First of all, that's not fair when negotiating. It's cheating." Ginny gently pushed him away. "My point is, how would you know any of that. We've each known the other existed, for six years, but we don't KNOW each other."

Blaise nodded, and replied. "Right, will you go out on a date with me, so we can get to know eachother?"

"It'll have to be where people can't see us. But yes. I most certainly will. I have to go though, Blaise. It's nearly curfew."

"All right. I won't come with you, save Pansy, or Draco finding me," said Blaise. Ginny kissed him quickly and handed him his cloak.

"'Night, Zabini." Winking, the redhead slipped inside the castle, disappearing.

"Night." He called back.

Pansy knocked on Draco's bedroom door. He and Blaise had paid for their own rooms. Of course, she was scared to talk to Draco. But this was important. The door creaked open, and half of Draco's face appeared in the 4 inch gap that the door had swung open to. "Pansy." Draco said, forehead furrowing.

"Hi. Blaise and the Weasley girl are going out. I just thought you'd want to know." As Pansy turned and walked away, she had a smug smile on her face.

"What..." Draco said, his face falling from anger into disbelief. "When did this happen?" He edged round the door, and put a hand on her shoulder to stop her from going any further.

"I was going otuside for a walk before curfew. They were standing on the steps, just below the front door. Blaise asked that... that... bitch, to go out with him. And then she stuttered, like the Stupid whore she is. And then they kissed. What can that possibly mean but yes? After, they kissed, I came to tell you," said Pansy. The girl was a lot of things, but disloyal was not one of them.

Draco's blood began to boil. The fist that was not rested on Pansy's shoulder clenched itself. He had the first rights to girls. If a girl hadn't fallen for him first, then she had no right to fall for Blaise. The fact that he had never shown the slightest interest in her beyond torturing her, even as just a fuck (not that any girl ahd ever been allowed to be more), didn't matter. Every girl was his as far as any Slytherin was concerned, until he said otherwise. He was the Prince of Slytherin, and no one else. And he had most definitely not said otherwise. Blaise was defying his authority.

Draco looked to her. "Zabini is treading very _very_ thin ice," he growled. Pansy nodded, looking up at him. She didn't expect any priase. She'd done what was expected. It was nothing special. She was nothing special. He looked down at her, and slowly took the hand off of her shoulder, running it down her arm until it hung at his side.

She gave a small smile, pleased that he'd seen fit to bestow this small thing. "Do you have anythng you'll need help with?" Draco shook his head, and before anything else could happen, he leant forward and kissed her. Pansy didn't have to think about it. She kissed him back. When he pulled away, he didn't actually say it, but the look in his eyes was one of apology. And Draco never apologized. Ever. Pansy just smiled. She didn't need him to say it. Everything was alright again.

Better than alright, because that damned Weasley girl was going to get hers. Who did she think she was, dating a Slytherin?

Blaise, dressed in some of his best clothes, his hair neatly gelled to one side, slipped out of the common room, after looking around to make sure no one was watching.

He silently moved along the corridors.

Ginny was heading towards the same place Blaise was going. She kept shifting nervously and grabbing handfuls of transfigured robes.

Blaise got to their meeting place first. Already frustrated with his neatly gelled hair, and starting to get pissed off with its rigidness, he ran his hands through it over and over. All the gel fell away, and he shook his head. Concentrating on what he needed, he briskly walked three times infront of the wall before which he was, until a huge door appeared.

Minutes later, Ginny arrived. She smiled self-consciously. Her robes were no longer plain green cotton. They were green silk now, falling much more delicately and cinched gently at the waist in a V. Her cloak was thrown over her shoulders. She'd put her hair up into a rolled bun, with strands hanging loose around her face and a few in the back.

Blaise put on his best debonair smile. "You look amazing," he said, His eyes flicking downwards, and then upwards, surveying her. He held out his hand, and bowed slightly, opening the door with his other. Ginny stepped out into the room, not knowing what to expect, as, despite much cajoling, Blaise had not given up a single hint. Inside the room, there were no walls. The sky was a deep hue of blue, going slightly red on the horizon fromthe dipping sun. They were inside of a vast quidditch pitch. In the middle of the soft green grass, there was a red blanket laid out. Ontop of it looked like an exquisite Picnic all laid out waiting.

"Oh BLAISE!" bresthed Ginny. She really wasn't the 'oh blaise' type, but this was postively breathtaking.And warm. It was distinctly not winter. A firebolt X, the newest model, which she had been wanting to try since it came out, was sitting next to the picnic blanket. Breathless Ginny was gone in an instant, replaced by Quidditch Ginny. "You have a Firebolt X?" Her jaw dropped. "I may have to marry you someday, just for the brooms."

Blaise raised an eyebrow. "You'd marry for a broomstick? and I thought Pansy was bad..."

"Zabini, darling, you forget that I'm a Weasley. We'd KILL for a good broom." He held out a hand for her to take. She took it, managing to tear her eyes off of the broom.

"I can't believe you did all this. And how did you even know about the Room of Requirement?"

"I'm a Slytherin, and Draco's right hand. It's my job to know everything." They walked towards the blanket, and the broom.

"You sound like a vizer."

"Mm, I do."

"Anyway, no more talk about Malfoy and his various minions. There's only one minion I care to talk to, or about."

Blaise raised an eyebrow, and, with a grin, pulled her gently towards him, sliding an arm around her.

She leaned on his shoulder. "So, minion, my dear, are we going to eat, or talk?"

"Both, I feel will be in order." Blaise smiled, as they reached the blanket. Blaise held out a hand to help her sit down, carefully. She sat down as gracefully as she could. He removed his cloak, and sat next to her

After following his example, she looked at him. "So... Tell me about yourself," she said, giggling. "Sorry, sorry, that's just so cliche... I sort of scared myself there..."

"What do you want to know about me?" He asked, uncorking a vintage bottle of butterbeer, and pouring it into two tall glasses.

"I don't know. Why you're insane enough that you never tried out for the Slytherin quidditch team? Sorry, I'm a bit obsessed... I never realized just how obsessed.... Oh dear... I'm turning into Harry... I swear I don't usually babble this much. Not that Hary babbles. I meant about the Quidditch." She slapped a hand over her own mouth to shut herself up.

Blaise laughed. "I think you are obsessed." He said, " Accio Firebolt." the broom sped to his hands, and he handed it over to her.

"You won't think I'm an absolute prat if I try it out before we talk?" asked Ginny earnestly, obviously itching to fly.

"No, not at all..." Grinning, the redhead straddled the broom, exposing quite a bit of leg as her robes rode up. She pushed off of the ground and was up in the air in an instant, smiling so widely her face should have split in two. Blaise watched. The Firebolt X was the best broom in existence. No one else, as far as he knew, had one. Not at Hogwarts. Ginny let out a whoop and did a tight loopdeloop in the air.

"You're good." He called up to her, sipping his glass of butterbeer.

Ten minutes or so later, she came soaring down frowm the ceiling, landing smoothly, an inch from the blanket. "That's amazing!" Her entire face had lit up.

Blaise grinned. "Your face is brighter that the sky."

"I love flying."

"That's rhetorical." Ginny stuck her tongue out at him. Suddenly a strange glow started emitting around them. Hundreds of little candles rose up out of the grass, and began hanging in mid air around them.

Ginny's tongue abruptly re-entered her mouth. "Are you trying to romance me, Zabini?"

"Are you opposed to being romanced, as it were?"

"You've got a Firebolt X. I'm not oppsed to anything you do," said Ginny, smirking. She really wasn't all that nice. Kind, certainly, most of the time. Nice, not so much.

Blaise raised an eyebrow at her comment. "Why aren't you in Slytherin?" he asked, usually, people with tongues as sharp as that were in his house.

"I'm a Weasley. They would have had to have some sort of weird virgin sacrifice if I'd been sorted into Slytherin."

"Point taken." He sipped his butter beer.

Ginny had some of her own butterbeer. "Shall I serve the food?"

Blaise nodded. "Help yourself." That debonair smile was back again. Smiling back, Ginny served Blaise and then herself. They talked over dinner, and the conversation just flowed. Three and a half bottles of strong butterbeer later, and Blaise was slightly tipsy. His hair was more messed up than before and the grin on his face hadn't faded for a good hour. Ginny was a bit more tipsy than Blaise. She'd had only about three bottles of butterbeer, but she hardly ever drank. Not even much butterbeer as butterbeer costed money, and, besides which, they only went to Hogsmeade so often.

"Quite a nice night," said Blaise, for about the eighteth time.

"S'fake, but yah," said Ginny, slurring very slightly. "Hey, Zabini? I'll go out with you." It wasn't very romantic. But it was very Ginny. Blaise leant forward and kissed her. Which was very Blaise. Some boys might have said 'thank you'. But of course, that wasn't sauve. And therefore, it wasn't Blaise.

Suddenly, the door that they had come through burst open, and a white haired boy stormed in. "BLAISE ZABINI!" He roared.

Ginny pulled back, blinking. "Oh shit." Suddenly she felt much more sober.

Blaise looked round. "Draco..." He got up, and calmly put his hands in his pockets. Ginny's brown eyes flicked from Blaise to Draco and back.

"WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?" Draco spat as he started towards Blaise. Before Ginny could think she was up and between Blaise and Draco, wand out.

Blaise had a smirk on his face, looking incredibly relaxed. "Draco, Draco...." Ginny looked over her shoulder at Blaise. She'd seen Malfoy angry, but never like this. He reminded her of Lucius and Tom and he was scaring her. It was with an iron clad will that she was keeping from shaking. She had never been scared of Malfoy. Not of this one. First time for everything. She thought to herself, trying to make herself stop looking like a startled deer.

"DON'T TALK TO ME BLAISE, WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING? WITH A WEASLEY? WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?"

Ginny took a deep breath. This was not Lucius Malfoy. This was his son. And he was just Malfoy. A stupid white ferret. Nothing to be scared of. "Malfoy, I really don't think it's any of your business."

"Draco, I will say what I want, and frankly I agree with Ginevra. This has nothing to do with you. At all." Ginny took a stumbling step back and grabbed Blaise's hand. Blaise took her hand, and squeezed gently.

"HOW DARE YOU TALK TO ME LIKE THIS!!" Draco said, the vein in his neck buldging. Ginny edged a little clsoer to Blaise.

"I'll talk to you how I like, Draco," Blaise said cheerfully.

"Anyway Malfoy, I happen to have it on good authority that you slept with Parvati Patil last year. Hell, she certainly told enough people. So who the hell are you to lecture Blaise about going out with me?" Ginny suddenly felt much braver now that she could feel Blaise next to her, like an anchor, keeping her from exploding into a thousand little bits.

"Keep out of this, Weasel," Malfoy snarled and snapped at her.

"Where's all your wit gone, Malfoy? Out your arse, along with all your threats?" She knew this was not the time to indulge ina spot of Malfoy baiting, but he no longer was scaring her and she had never been able to stop herself from tormenting him, when she got the chance.

Blaise thread an arm around her. "Malfoy, you really have nothing better to do, do you?" Blaise asked. "Cause I'd have personally left by now, to stop the stupidity of the situation before it gets to a point where basically, you look and feel like an arse. Just leave..."

"When isn't he an arse?"

"Well, when he's asleep..." Blaise shrugged.

Draco growled at them to shut it. "No, really, Malfoy. I'm genuinely curious. Is there ever a point in time where you don't resemble a buttock?"

Draco was getting more and more wound up. "Blaise... I'm warning you, muzzle your girlfriend or- "

"Or what? Draco?"

"Muzzle me, hmmm... Ohhh, kinky, don't you think, Blaise?"

"Most definately." Blaise smiled at her. Draco gritted his teeth.

Blaise turned to him. "Oh, you're still here?" Draco snorted and left in a flurry of black robes.

"You don't think he'll tell anyone, do you?" asked Ginny.

"Nah, it'll hurt his Slytherin pride waaay to much."

"I don't even understand why he cares so damn much. Yeah, I'm a Gryffindor, but it felt like... More then that."

"Might be cause I'm his 'best friend' as well..." Blaise said, putting his other arm around her.

"Mmmmm... Quite possible." said Ginny. She was just glad that Blaise either hadn't noticed or didn't want to talk about how scared she'd been when Draco first walked in. No one outside of her family (Hermione and Harry counted) knew about the diary, or the chamber, so she would have no good reason to be suddenly afraid of Malfoy when she never had been before. He hugged her. He had known she had been scared, but thought it best not to bring up, not now.

Ginny hugged him back, burying her face in his shoulder. "Mmmm... You smell good, Zabini." He grinned, and leant down. Tilting up her face, he kissed her gently. Ginny pulled back after about a minute. "Do you want to fly together?"

He nodded. "Accio Firebolt."

The magnificent broom flew into Blaise's hand. He got on and she got on in front of him. "Who's in charge?" Ginny asked.

Blaise raised an eyebrow, a small mischievious grin spreading across his face. "Well, I like dominant females..."

She frowned and then it dawned on her. "Ohhhh... You! Mind OUT of the gutter, if you please. Although... so do I." Ginny grinned and winked. "Randy? Ooops. I mean ready?"

"Yes, to both." said Blaise, leaning down and running his tongue along her neck teasingly.

She jumped. "Ohhh that was meeeeaaaan Mr. Zabini."

He kissed her neck. "Are you complaining?"

"No." She tilted back her head, so it was resting on his shoulder, looking up towards the sky. Well, ceiling.

He kissed her jaw and chin before gently making the broom rise upwards, holing onto her. She shivered, leaning back into him, letting him guide the broomstick. He didn't need to hold on, just yet. He pulled her close, and they both circled upwards. She closed her eyes, trusting him. They went up as high as the room would let them, and then hung, in what seem like the middle of the sky. Stars were all around them. She opened her eyes and looked around. "It's breathtaking." she whispered, staring up into a seemingly endless sky, although she knew thatif they went any higher, they'd bump a ceiling. He smiled, and held her against him on the broom.Tthey were both perfectly balanced on the sturdy piece of wood.

They just sat there in silence, basking in the glow of the stars and each others company.


End file.
